UO President Frohnmayer to retire

Background: Born July 9, 1940, in Medford, the son of MarAbel and Otto Frohnmayer, a prominent attorney. Siblings include brother John Frohnmayer, a former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and current candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Education: Attended Medford High School, graduating in 1958. Then went to Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1962. From there, he attended to Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar before enrolling in law school at the University of California-Berkeley, where he received his degree in 1967.

Political background: Frohnmayer served three terms in the state House of Representatives from 1975 to 1981, as a Republican representing the Eugene area. He was elected attorney general in 1980, then re-elected in 1984 and 1988. He then ran for governor as a Republican in 1990, losing to Barbara Roberts.

Professional background: He became dean of the University of Oregon Law School in 1992 and two years later was appointed interim president of the University of Oregon. That position was later made permanent.

Family: Married to Lynn Frohnmayer. Together they had three daughters and two sons: Amy, Katie, Kirsten, Mark and John. Katie and Kirsten died of Fanconi anemia, a genetic disease. The Frohnmayers have since founded the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund.

University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2008-09 academic year in a letter submitted earlier today to Oregon University System Chancellor George Pernsteiner and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Frohnmayer was not available in the morning for questions, but Pernsteiner hailed him as a solid president who pushed the university forward.

"Dave Frohnmayer is the senior statesman for higher education in Oregon," Pernsteiner said. "He has guided the University of Oregon with extraordinary skill and a calm hand through difficult financial times to create a university that is even stronger today. He leaves a remarkable legacy."

Phil Weiler, senior director of public and media relations for the university, said that Frohnmayer is in meetings all day today letting people know of his plans.

Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said Frohnmayer, 67, has been a "juggernaut" for the university. "It's as simple as that. Academic excellence, construction of new facilities -- both academic and athletic -- increased their image, their prestige."

Frohnmayer got a boost as president from his tenure as dean of the UO law school and his Oregon upbringing, Courtney said. Frohnmayer also served as Oregon attorney general.

John Moseley, who retired as senior vice president and provost two years ago, said he had spoken to Frohnmayer in the past about retirement plans. Moseley said he was unaware of any pending announcement -- but added that it wouldn't surprise him.

"This is his 14th year as president," said Moseley. "So that's a very long run, and he's done an excellent job."

Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, said Monday night that he had received a phone message from the university's government relations director on Monday afternoon seeking a time when Frohnmayer could speak with Prozanski that day.

Prozanski's district includes the university but said it's unusual for him to speak directly with Frohnmayer.

Frohnmayer's reign as UO president has seen its share of controversy.

He backed Nike founder Phil Knight's push to build a new arena for the Duck basketball team after Knight donated $100 million to the athletic fund.

Frohnmayer allowed Knight to control much of the project after putting him on a foundation board where the Nike chief called the shots for the now $200 million arena project.

Frohnmayer was dean of the UO law school for two years before assuming the presidency. The former Rhodes scholar served 11 years as attorney general. He ran as a Republican candidate for governor in 1990 and lost to Democrat Barbara Roberts.

In 1999, Frohnmayer suffered a heart attack while at a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

Frohnmayer was at the National Institutes of Health to help shape its research priorities.

He was selected to be one of 20 citizen advisers to the NIH director because of his personal experience with a rare genetic blood disorder that killed two of his daughters and afflicts the third.

He and his wife, Lynn, started a foundation to combat Fanconi anemia. It has raised more than $3 million and drawn members from every state and 38 nations.